Ocean Diva (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: What is your view on the Ocean Diva, and as part of your Environment Strategy commitment to reduce the number of people adversely affected by noise, do you believe there should be any form of consultation with local communities who may potentially be impacted by the process of embarking and disembarking such a large number of people?

The Mayor: It is the responsibility of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to certify vessels ensuring legal compliance to operate on the Thames. Consequently, Transport for London’s (TfL) primary concern is one of safety. TfL will assess all vessels wishing to use our piers with specific regard to compatibility and the safe and responsible management of passengers. TfL will not permit access to any vessel until it is satisfied that all elements of the operation are conducted safely.
With regards to noise, TfL’s licences with operators contain strict controls to ensure disruption in minimised, including stipulating that there should be no loud music or audio entertainment on or near London River Service piers. TfL will continue to monitor these particular conditions and I would encourage local communities to write to TfL to notify them of any noise issues at piers.

Child Safeguarding

Unmesh Desai: How many Met Officers have been retrained in safeguarding and protection of children since the Child Q case came to light?

The Mayor: Since the Child Q incident came to light, but prior to the publication of the City of London & Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership (CHSCP) report in Central East (Hackney & Tower Hamlets) BCU, 19 officers from public protection command received training in Adultification bias. This is alongside the normal safeguarding training they receive – the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) implemented additional child safeguarding procedures in 2021 as part of Operation Aegis, an initiative to build officer capability.
Recommendation 5 of the CHSCP report into the Child Q incident recommended Adultification training more widely. Since its publication, all Schools Officers on CE BCU (16) have received multi-agency Adultification training and the BCU has secured a further 120 training places which will be delivered over the next 12 months.
The MPS is undertaking further work to procure this training for the remaining staff at CE BCU and to scope how it can be rolled out more widely across the MPS.
The MPS has further stated that, alongside this bespoke training, a significant amount of activity has taken place to refresh guidance and policy relating to More Thorough Intimate Parts (MTIP) searches, ensuring that children are treated as children and that a safeguarding approach is taken. This includes increasing the authorisation level for these searches to BCU Inspector level, new guidance and checklists for officers and scrutiny of all child MTIP searches since April this year.

Augmented reality 1

Susan Hall: What potential uses have been identified for augmented reality for the Met Police and what progress has been made in utilising this technology?

The Mayor: Augmented Reality is a technology that the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is not currently actively reviewing.

Reducing Drug Deaths in London (9)

Emma Best: Can you tell the Assembly how many officers within the Metropolitan Police Service are trained to handle, and actively carry nasal naloxone spray?

The Mayor: There are no police officers within the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) trained to handle and actively carry naloxone sprays. However, within each of the 26 custody suites in London there are three such sprays stocked to be used, if necessary, by trained and authorised medical practitioners.
The MPS Central Drugs Team have completed a consultation with internal and external stakeholders on whether the MPS should widen the availability of naloxone. A report has been submitted to the MPS Chief Officer Group and awaits a decision on the position going forward

Reducing Drug Deaths in London (6)

Emma Best: How much funding have you given to support campaigns around drug misuse/overdose in London?

The Mayor: Please refer to the response to question 2022/2622.

Reducing Drug Deaths in London (4)

Emma Best: What campaigns around drug misuse/overdose in London have you run?

The Mayor: The Greater London Authority and Office for Health Improvement and Disparities have not run any campaigns about drug misuse and overdose. However, the London Drug Information System (LDIS) provides alerts and information when incidents occur with adulterated drugs which lead to more overdoses. General harm reduction advice is provided to drug users via substance misuse treatment provided by local boroughs.

Reducing Drug Deaths in London (5)

Emma Best: Between what time periods have you run campaigns around drug misuse/overdose in London?

The Mayor: Please refer to the response to question 2022/2622.

Reducing Drug Deaths in London (2)

Emma Best: Do you support the principle of more drug checking services in London, including at clubs and music events?

The Mayor: I recognise the value of the work being done to test for drugs in the night-time economy, particularly the opportunities it provides for community engagement and public education. There are other ways of achieving our shared goal of reducing drug-related health harms; these include encouraging people to seek medical help without the fear of criminal repercussions for doing so, the availability of medical assistance in night-time venues, and staff training for those individuals working at clubs and music events.

Taser Independent Advisory Group

Caroline Pidgeon: In answer to MQ2022/1776 you stated that the Met was in the process of establishing a Taser Independent Advisory Group. Please outline the timescale for the creation of this group and how you will be ensuring it is representative of London’s diverse range of communities.

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) have created a dedicated Taser Engagement Team who have been tasked with ensuring this is co-ordinated. They already attend local BCU IAGs and Police Encounter Panels. Consultation is underway to identify suitable members of a Taser Independent Advisory Group which I would anticipate would be set up by Autumn/Winter 2022 and would sit every 3-4 months.
Prior to the creation of the Taser Engagement Team the MPS held a combined Firearms and Taser Reference Group which was suspended over COVID. The new Taser IAG will replace the Taser element of that reference group and is expected to be more streamlined focusing solely on Taser. Previous members will be contacted for inclusion as well as members of the National Taser Stakeholder Advisory Group, local IAGs and Community Monitoring Groups within the MPS to ensure diverse representation of communities.

Deaths of Dial-A-Ride Drivers from Covid-19

Keith Prince: Please provide me with a complete list of Dial-A-Ride drivers who have died from Covid-19 since March 2020 including:
1) sex and, if known, ethnicity;
2) date of reported death;
3) Name of TfL executive responsible for Dial-A-Ride Drivers

The Mayor: Sadly, three colleagues at Transport for London’s (TfL’s) Dial-a-Ride service have passed away with Covid-19. Dial-a-Ride provided an essential service to some of the most vulnerable in society during the pandemic and my thoughts remain with their families and colleagues.
Two of these were Dial-a-Ride drivers. Both male, one declared as Black/Black African/Black Caribbean/Black British, the other did not declare their ethnicity.
TfL does not hold the date of reported death for these drivers as it does not have visibility over individual death certificates, only the date the death was reported (which may vary from the actual date of death).
Louise Cheeseman is the current Director of Bus and oversees Dial-a-Ride as part of her role.

Background Documentation related to Mayor’s response to Question 2022/0796.

Keith Prince: Please provide me with copies of all internal communication (emails, memorandums, handwritten notes, WhatsApp texts) related to TfL’s preparation of its response to question 2022/0796.

The Mayor: The attached documents relate to email exchanges between Human Resources, Bus Operations and Transport for London’s Corporate Communications team, in the preparation of the response to Mayor’s Question 2022/0796.
A draft response was prepared by Human Resources and following further verbal discussion a decision was made not to release any further data related to the deaths in service of bus drivers on sensitivity grounds.
Please note the email attachment included with the documents was incorrectly named “0789”. It should have been named ”0796 Employers of 73 Bus Workers who died from Covid-19, March 2020-November 2021”.
Please also note in the email from Tom Cunnington on 16 February 2022 at 17:52 the reference to the publication of 498 relates to the publication of Mayor’s Question 2022/4898 which is available via this link:
https://www.london.gov.uk/questions/2021/4898

Background Documentation related to Mayor’s Response to Question 2022/1629

Keith Prince: Please provide me with copies of all internal communication (emails, memorandums, handwritten notes, WhatsApp texts) related to TfL’s preparation of its response to question 2022/1629.

The Mayor: The attached documents relate to email exchanges between Human Resources, Bus Operations and Transport for London’s Safety, Health and Environment representatives, in the preparation of the answer to Mayor’s Question 2022/1629.
A draft response was prepared by Human Resources, following which a meeting took place where this and other Mayors Questions were discussed verbally before the response was updated and progressed through the internal approvals process.

Reducing Drug Deaths in London (1)

Emma Best: How are you working with the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities to determine what more can be done to prevent drug-related deaths?

The Mayor: My Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime recently met with the Director of Addictions and Inclusion at OHID, to discuss the role of Police and Crime Commissioners in supporting partnerships under the Government’s Drug Strategy, and improving engagement between the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) and OHID at a national level.
A key part of the Government’s drugs strategy is around continuity of care from prison to community treatment to tackle both drug related death and crime. OHID (and previously PHE) London have been a key partner for many years and have shaped work to improve pathways into treatment from the criminal justice system, including continuity of care. This includes a joint work programme with the GLA and MOPAC to bring criminal justice into the health agenda, supporting local collaboration between health and justice, and improving consistency across London. Getting more people engaged in treatment has been shown to both reduce health harms and reoffending.
My representatives also attend the London Alcohol and Drugs Commissioners’ Forum, run by OHID, to ensure strong links between work directly to reduce drug deaths at a borough level, and activity within the criminal justice system.
OHID will also be a key partner in the new London Drugs Forum. The aim is for this forum to enable those involved to take a London-wide coordinated approach to prevent and address the wide-ranging harms to both individuals and communities caused by drugs. It will also provide strategic oversight of criminal enforcement and the delivery of drug treatment and recovery interventions.

Untold Stories Grant Programme

Hina Bokhari: What factors will you be considering and actions will you be taking to ensure that the available grants as part of the Untold Stories Programme will be equitably allocated across all areas of London?

The Mayor: I'm committed to ensuring that the capital’s people and history are celebrated and commemorated. That is why I established the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm. Its role is to enrich and enhance the capital’s public spaces and advise on better ways to increase public understanding of the human stories behind existing statues, street names, building names and memorials.
On 27 May 2022, I announced Untold Stories Round One funding of £533k to 42 community-led organisations. Projects are taking place in 18 London boroughs and five projects are working London-wide.
Round Two is open now. My Culture and Creative Industries and Communities and Social Policy Units have identified boroughs and communities where we received fewer Round One applications (these can be found here: https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/arts-and-culture/about-commission-diversity-public-realm/untold-stories-grants-commission-diversity-public-realm/untold-stories-frequently-asked-questions#acc-i-66542).
A targeted programme of outreach has been planned with partners across the City to encourage and support applications from these priority areas.

Ward Policing

Joanne McCartney: Following the recent local elections in London, new local government ward boundaries have been established. Is the Metropolitan Police reorganising Safer Neighbourhood Teams and Ward Panels to reflect these new ward boundaries?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is committed to ensuring that the newly created wards receive DWOs and that Ward Panels are established.
The MPS assures me that it has identified, and in most cases posted, new DWOs to every new ward created by the boundary changes.

Safer Neighbourhood Teams and Ward Boundary changes in Harrow

Krupesh Hirani: Recent boundary changes in Harrow have increased the number of wards from 21 to 22. Can you confirm that all 22 wards in Harrow will have fully staffed dedicated Safer Neighbourhood Teams?

The Mayor: Dedicated Ward Officers (DWOs) have been allocated to every ward in Brent.
There are some wards without dedicated Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and these are being supported by neighbouring wards. The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) remains committed to providing a PCSO in each ward and is actively recruiting additional staff.

Safer Neighbourhood Teams and Ward Boundary changes in Brent

Krupesh Hirani: Recent boundary changes in Brent have increased the number of wards from 21 to 22. Can you confirm that all 22 wards in Brent will have fully staffed dedicated Safer Neighbourhood Teams?

The Mayor: Dedicated Ward Officers (DWOs) have been allocated to every ward in Brent.
There are some wards without dedicated Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and these are being supported by neighbouring wards. The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) remains committed to providing a PCSO in each ward and is actively recruiting additional staff.

Lifts not operating on the London Underground due to an absence of trained staff

Caroline Pidgeon: Please list the dates, length of closure and the name of the Underground Stations for which each lift was out of service solely due to an absence of trained members of staff during (a) 2021 and (b) 2022.

The Mayor: In 2021, there were 36 stations that had some form of lift closure due to staff unavailability. Of these, 55 per cent were for a period of four hours or less. Up until 30 June 2022, 39 stations had some form of lift closure due to staff unavailability during 2022. Of these, 53 per cent were for a period of four hours or less.
Staff are trained to operate lifts manually in case the automatic system fails while in customer service. When staff are not available, the lift must be taken out of service for safety reasons. Lifts are also taken out of service when staff are unavailable to support wheelchair users to board and alight trains using a manual boarding ramp.
The attached data shows the requested information for lifts that have been taken out of service for both reasons, where the station is listed as open. Where the station is already advertised as closed, TfL does not additionally record that step-free access is unavailable
There are some stations, such as West Finchley, Southfields, Mill Hill East and Bond Street, that appear regularly on the list. While Transport for London (TfL) always has staff rostered to keep all stations open and step-free facilities in place, last minute non-attendance and higher sickness levels mean that sometimes there are not enough staff available to cover all locations.
In these circumstances, TfL prioritises locations with higher passenger numbers. At the above locations, TfL can keep the station open with fewer staff than the number rostered; however, this means that boarding ramps cannot be deployed, or in the case of Bond Street, the entrance with the lift cannot be staffed, meaning that step-free access is unavailable.
The instances of closure of lifts are significantly higher in 2021 and 2022 than in 2020 due to the number of stations that were already closed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
There are also higher instances of closures in 2022 than 2021 as last year TfL operated its stations on weekend rosters on weekdays due to lower passenger numbers. This meant TfL had more ‘spare’ staff available to cover last minute non-attendance and sickness.
Ensuring London's transport network is accessible for all remains a key priority for both me and TfL. TfL will continue to do everything it can to ensure lifts remain open for customers.

The Mayor: 2286 attachment.pdf

Out of Service Lifts (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: Please state the expenditure by TfL in providing alternative transport to disabled passengers facing the situation of unplanned closures of lifts due to mechanical faults and where there is an absence of alternative fully accessible forms of transport provided by TfL for every year since 2019.

The Mayor: If a customer arrives at a station and the lift is unavailable, Transport for London (TfL) will help the customer plan an alternative journey to their destination. If there isn't a reasonable alternative route, TfL will book the customer a taxi (at its own cost) to take them to their destination or another step-free station from where they can continue their journey.
The costs recorded for taxi provision for customers due to step free access issues caused by mechanical failure of lifts are as below:
* Please note that before 2020 the accuracy of reporting was volatile due to the recording method, however since the recording method changed in 2020, this has resulted in more accurate records which accounts for the increase in journeys and costs recorded.

Lack of Toilet Dignity for Bus Drivers: Safety Performance Study

Keith Prince: Has TfL ever compared the safety performance on routes with poor toilet provision with those with adequate facilities? If not, will you request TfL to commission an independent analysis of the safety performance of bus drivers on the at least 180 bus routes that lack ‘Toilet Dignity’?

The Mayor: Bus drivers on all routes in London have access to a toilet.
The need to use a toilet is only mentioned by bus drivers in a very small number of safety incident reports, and there is no clear link to a lack of toilet provision at both ends of the route being a factor. With such a small number of incidents, any further analysis is highly unlikely to be able to demonstrate a causal relationship between toilet provisions and rate of collisions.
Transport for London’s focus is on prioritising its limited funds into improving the facilities to the maximum benefit of London’s bus drivers.

Lack of Toilet Dignity for Bus Drivers: Equality Act

Keith Prince: Following your refusal to provide the data I requested in question 2022/0147, will you request TfL to commission an independent analysis of whether or not failing to provide toilets to bus drivers on routes discriminates against hiring women bus drivers to work on these routes?

The Mayor: As I said in my answer to question 2022/0147, TfL does not consider it appropriate to provide the number of women working on each route. Transport for London (TfL) works with bus operators to ensure that bus driving continues to be an attractive career for men and women, as well as to address the perceptions and worries that might prevent any individual from seeing bus driving as a positive career choice for them
TfL continues to work to provide bus driver toilet facilities where these are needed, ass, well asas to work with third parties and developers to make arrangements for male and female bus drivers to access alternative facilities.

Lack of Toilet Dignity: Women Drivers on Bus Routes without Toilets

Keith Prince: In your much delayed and unhelpful response to question 2022/0147, you specifically stated “Across the network around 10 per cent of bus drivers are female”. Please provide me with the percentage of female drivers for each of the 180 bus routes you have indicated lack toilets or access to toilets in your responses to questions 2022/0787, 2022/0786 and 2021/4900.

The Mayor: The percentage of female bus drivers is evenly distributed throughout London’s bus operators and bus depots.
Transport for London do not collect data on the percentage of female drivers per route.

Lack of Toilet Dignity for Bus Drivers: Safety/Duty of Care

Keith Prince: Please provide me with any documentary evidence (third party studies, in-house analysis) that proves that denying adequate toilet facilities on a quarter of London’s bus routes has or (has had) no impact on safety performance?

The Mayor: Bus drivers on all routes in London have access to a toilet.
In agreement with the bus operators, who employ drivers, and bus drivers’ union Unite, it has been agreed that on routes with a round trip time of less than 150 minutes a toilet at one end of the route is sufficient. Therefore, following my investment into improving toilets for bus drivers since elected in 2016, by that agreed definition all bus drivers have adequate access to toilets.
As detailed in 2022/2684, there is no clear link between the availability of toilet facilities and safety performance.

Lack of Toilet Dignity for Bus Drivers: BBC Report (3)

Keith Prince: A 14 June BBC Report stated “Transport for London (TfL) said issues around toilets were taken extremely seriously and bosses would look to improve the situation.” How can you reconcile that, in my view, misleading statement with the fact that 10 routes identified as “high priority” in April 2019 remain without toilets today?

The Mayor: Bus drivers on all routes in London have access to at least one toilet.
Transport for London (TfL) has agreed with the bus drivers’ union, Unite, and bus operators the criteria used to prioritise the deployment of toilets at locations without a facility. Please see answer to MQ 2022/2682 for further information.
Since 2018, TfL has made a total of 64 new toilet units available and have an active programme to deploy further units.

Lack of Toilet Dignity for Bus Drivers: Criteria for allowing Bus Drivers to operate Buses on Routes without Toilets.

Keith Prince: Please provide me with any guidance, criteria, analysis, list of principles that TfL uses to allow bus drivers to operate buses on routes without toilets. What criteria has TfL used to certify the safety of any route without adequate toilet facilities?

The Mayor: Bus drivers on all routes in London have access to at least one toilet.
Transport for London (TfL) aims to provide a toilet at both ends of routes where the round-trip time would otherwise exceed 150 minutes and at least one end of routes where round trip time is below 150 minutes. This enables TfL to prioritise its limited funds on providing facilities at locations that have the greatest benefit to drivers.
TfL has agreed this criterion with the bus drivers’ union, Unite, and bus operators.

TfL enhanced customer toilet information (2)

Caroline Russell: When will Transport for London (TfL) produce its enhanced customer toilet information as a hard copy so customers without digital access can still find out where TfL toilets are located and their opening times?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) customers who are unable to print a copy of the TfL Toilet Map can contact TfL Customer Services on 0343 222 1234 to have a printed copy posted to them.

TfL enhanced customer toilet information (1)

Caroline Russell: When will Transport for London (TfL) update its enhanced customer toilet information to include all boroughs? The current list does not, for example, include any facilities in Lewisham.

The Mayor: The enhanced toilet information published in May 2022 relates to facilities on the London Underground network. This was published in response to specific customer feedback that facilities on the Tube network were sometimes difficult to locate within stations or opening hours were not published and differed across stations. There are no London Underground stations in Lewisham.
In time, Transport for London (TfL) plans to provide similar detailed information for all toilet facilities on the public transport network. For now, the locations of toilet facilities across the entire TfL network (including those in Lewisham) can be found on the TfL Toilet Map:
Toilets Tube Map - October 2021(a) (tfl.gov.uk)

Lack of Toilet Dignity for Bus Drivers: International Comparisons

Keith Prince: Are you aware of any other major world city where over one quarter of that city’s bus routes don’t have adequate toilet facilities for their bus drivers? Will you commission Imperial College’s International Bus Benchmarking Group to benchmark London against its peers on this embarrassing issue?

The Mayor: A member of the International Bus Benchmarking Group (IBBG) previously raised questions seeking to compare policies on bus driver restrooms. The questions related to the following:
(i) standards used to determine access to facilities
(ii) criteria for walking distance
(iii) criteria for enabling access to facilities (e.g. layover time)
(iv) levels of investment
Ten world cities responded. Of those that responded, most use similar criteria and many stated similar challenges to London in seeking to provide bus driver facilities at one or both termini. As a result, I have no plans to commission further comparisons.
The information provided by IBBG members is confidential.

Community engagements

Susan Hall: For each year 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 how many community engagements have been entered on the Met’s AirSpace system by Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNT), broken down by borough and engagement type, e.g., faith engagement or property marking scheme?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) began recording community engagement (‘Community Contact Sessions’) on AirSpace in 2018. However, the MPS advise me that the accuracy of the data captured from AirSpace is entirely dependent on an officer entering and recording the engagement, and the Met therefore does not have comprehensive data with which to answer this question.

Policing the Jubilee (2)

Unmesh Desai: How many police officers from Outer London Boroughs were abstracted into Inner London Boroughs during the Jubilee?

The Mayor: The attached schedule shows the number of officers (by rank) from each Basic Command Unit - a borough breakdown is not available – for each day of the Platinum Jubilee event. The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) provided assurance that adequate staffing levels were maintained on all BCUs for each day of the jubilee.

The Mayor: 2442_Policing the Jubilee.xlsx

Section 60 Stop and Search (2)

Unmesh Desai: Can I have a breakdown – by BCU – of where a Section 60 stop and search order was authorised and for how long each lasted, within the last year?

The Mayor: Section 60 authorisations under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act are a preventative tool that may be used by the police when they believe incidents involving serious violence may take place in a locality. When used lawfully and proportionately, they are a useful tactic as part of a suite of tools in tackling violence.
From July 2021 to June 2022 there were 249 section 60 authorisations and 1,238 stop and searches. The table attached provides full details by borough and date of authorisation.
It should be noted, however, that a section 60 authorisation may cover more than one borough.

The Mayor: 2445_&_2446_Section 60 Stop and Search (1) & (2) (1).xlsx

Metropolitan Police Service Sirens Noise Pollution

Marina Ahmad: What is the Metropolitan Police Service doing to limit the noise disturbance of sirens overnight?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) recognises that inappropriate and inconsiderate use of sirens must be avoided, and officers are reminded to be considerate to residents when responding to emergency calls, particularly at night. They do, however, have to balance this against the risk to motorists and pedestrians, as well as the urgency of attending emergency calls for police assistance from the public.
The practice of driving a police vehicle in response mode, without the use of audible warning equipment, can add considerable risk to all road users, and delay in attending emergency incidents. The use of sirens remains an operational decision, at the driver's discretion, which must be balanced against the prevailing conditions, risks, and operational need.

Section 60 Stop and Search (1)

Unmesh Desai: How many stop and searches have been conducted under Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act by the Metropolitan Police in the last three years?

The Mayor: Section 60 authorisations under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act are a preventative tool that may be used by the police when they believe incidents involving serious violence may take place in a locality. When used lawfully and proportionately, they are a useful tactic as part of a suite of tools in tackling violence.
From July 2021 to June 2022 there were 249 section 60 authorisations and 1,238 stop and searches. The table attached provides full details, including the number of section 60 searches undertaken on each borough over the last three years.
It should be noted, however, that a section 60 authorisation may cover more than one borough.
Section 60 authorisations under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act are a preventative tool that may be used by the police when they believe incidents involving serious violence may take place in a locality. When used lawfully and proportionately, they are a useful tactic as part of a suite of tools in tackling violence.
From July 2021 to June 2022 there were 249 section 60 authorisations and 1,238 stop and searches. The table attached provides full details, including the number of section 60 searches undertaken on each borough over the last three years.
It should be noted, however, that a section 60 authorisation may cover more than one borough.

The Mayor: 2445_&_2446_Section 60 Stop and Search (1) & (2) (1).xlsx

Support for shared transport in London

Siân Berry: What financial and practical support does Transport for London (TfL) currently provide for shared transport providers in London, such as car clubs, e-scooter hire and cycle hire? And could you provide details of the total financial support provided by TfL for shared transport for each financial year since 2016-17?

The Mayor: In the case of e-scooter and dockless bike rental, Transport for London (TfL) does not provide any direct funding to operators. The e-scooter trial runs under contracts let by TfL however, and is supported by TfL on an ongoing basis - e.g. via periodic fleet size reviews and borough engagement. Dockless bike rental is unregulated and is arranged between operators and individual London Boroughs, but TfL is leading engagement with operators (alongside London Councils) to improve cycle parking at the end of hires.
The Mayor’s Transport Strategy (MTS) is supportive of car clubs when paired with measures to reduce car use. TfL works closely with boroughs, London Councils and operators to understand the role of car clubs in reducing car ownership and use. TfL does not provide any direct funding support to car clubs, and at this point in time, cannot commit to any future financial support.

Probation

Unmesh Desai: How much money does MOPAC spend on commissioning probation services?

The Mayor: MOPAC does not fund any core probation services, as that comes under the statutory responsibility of the Ministry of Justice and HM Probation and Prison Service. However, through my Police and Crime Plan I am committed to preventing and reduce violence, including reducing reoffending by the most violent and highest risk groups. Therefore, to deliver on these objects I am commissioning services alongside probation and other partners which target those on probation as well as the wider CJS.
In 2022/23 this includes: committing over £1.4m to provide GPS tagging for those released from prison for knife crime and Domestic Abuse; £1.2m to wrap around services for women in contact with the CJS with an additional £1.5m matched fund by London Probation; £1m for the Y2A (transitions to adulthood) hub (which is funding originating from the Treasury Shared Outcomes Fund); £73,000 for Community Sentence Treatment Requirements (funded jointly with NHS); £674,000 for domestic abuse perpetrator interventions (of whom 35% are also supervised by probation at the time of intervention) and £175,000 to support the specialist Stalking Threat Assessment Unit (S-TAC).

Gross misconduct 2

Susan Hall: Since 1st February 2020, how many Met police officers were referred to legally qualified chairs by the IOPC for gross misconduct and how many of these were dismissed?

The Mayor: This question is interpreted to mean cases independently investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Since February 2020 to July 2022, 46 Met Officers were referred to a Hearing, of whom 17 were dismissed/would have been dismissed if still serving.

Gross misconduct 1

Susan Hall: Since 1st February 2020, how many police officers were referred to legally qualified chairs by the Met for gross misconduct and how many of these were dismissed?

The Mayor: This question is interpreted to mean cases investigated by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). Since February 2020 to July 2022, 124 Met Officers were referred to a Hearing, of whom 65 were dismissed/would have been dismissed if still serving

Safer Neighbourhood Teams

Krupesh Hirani: Local police tell me it is complicated for their systems to catch up when new boundaries take effect in terms of their Safer Neighbourhood Teams. Can the process be speeded up?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is committed to ensuring that the newly created wards receive Dedicated Ward Officers (DWOs).
The MPS assures me that it has identified, and in most cases posted, new DWOs to every new ward created by the boundary changes. The actual deployment of officers is not affected by the changes to the system.
The MPS has established a Ward Boundary Strategic Oversight Board to implement the changes as expeditiously as practicable. The MPS is also in the process of transforming its IT infrastructure which will facilitate future changes.
My Deputy Mayor for Policing & Crime will continue to press the MPS to ensure that officers are posted to all newly created wards as quickly as possible with corresponding changes made to the relevant data systems.

Contribution from Transport for London (TfL) to Mayoral Policy Outcomes (1)

Krupesh Hirani: Please outline the contribution made by Transport for London (TfL) upon Mayoral policy outcomes: in terms of the junk food advertising ban; the impact upon housing delivery; the impact on air quality; on e-scooters with the TfL trial; and on improving connectivity with the rollout of 4G.

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) is integral to contributing to my Mayoral policy outcomes. I directed TfL to introduce the advertising restriction on High Fat Salt and Sugar (HFSS) food products and non-alcoholic drinks and this was implemented via its advertising policy in February 2019. The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has published research findings on the HFSS policy restrictions which can be found at: https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/mayoral/households-buying-1000-fewer-calories-per-week
TfL is aiming to deliver 50 per cent affordable housing on average across its entire portfolio and currently has more than 1,700 homes under construction across 10 sites, with work forecast to start this financial year on 12 additional sites that will deliver a further 2,400 homes.
My ambition is to improve London’s air quality through road user charging schemes such as the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). Bus electrification, the Low Emission Zone and expansion of ULEZ have reduced London wide Nitrogen Oxide emissions (NOx) significantly. Reports on the impacts of my interventions can be found on the GLA website.
TfL launched an e-scooter trial in collaboration with London Councils, London boroughs and three operators in June 2021. The trial fostered the implementation of consistent safety standards. Headline metrics from the trial can be found on TfL's website below https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/electric-scooter-rental-trial'
By the end of 2024, customers will be able to enjoy uninterrupted 4G mobile connected travel across TfL’s underground network including all ticket halls, platforms and tunnels. This builds on the successful delivery of a pilot scheme on the eastern end of the Jubilee line since March 2020. As of 8 July, Three UK, BT, Vodafone, Virgin Media O2 have all joined BAI Communications, committing to provide 4G on the London Underground as part of my Connected London programme.

Speeding App

Tony Devenish: There have been reports of a new app being developed which would enable motorists to take photos of other motorists to seek to prove that they are speeding. Do you have any concerns about such an app being used in London?

The Mayor: Together with Transport for London (TfL) and the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), I am committed to achieving Vision Zero, with no deaths or serious injuries on the transport network by 2041. TfL and the MPS are working together to tackle road danger, and speed is a vital factor. The MPS and TfL are working together to significantly increase levels of speed enforcement across London, building the capacity to enforce up to one million offences by 2024/25. Excellent progress is being made.
The Speedcam Anywhere app is not currently approved by the Home Office, and as such, cannot be used for speed enforcement. The app can be installed and used while standing at a safe place on the roadside, simply pointing your camera at a passing vehicle and capturing a short videon, which is analysed to accurately capture its speed. Motorists are reminded that using a handheld mobile phone for any reason is breaking the law. TfL and the MPS welcome innovation and technology in tackling the sources of road danger and are monitoring the app with interest. TfL and MPS colleagues have met with Twenty’s Plenty, a ‘not for profit’ with over 600 local groups campaigning to make cities, towns and villages around the world better places to be, to understand more about the app and its potential use in enforcement if and when it is approved by the Home Office.
In the meantime, all video evidence of a road traffic offence can be reported to the MPS for investigation at https://www.met.police.uk/ro/report/rti/rti-beta-2.1/report-a-road-traffic-incident/ Ideally, offences should be reported immediately as the police have 14 days to investigate and issue a Notice of Intended Prosecution.

Olympic and Paralympic Transport Legacy Action Plan (16)

Elly Baker: In March 2012 the previous Mayor published his Olympic and Paralympic Transport Legacy Action Plan. Can you outline how Action 16 “TfL will work with the boroughs, waste authorities, and waste collection companies to consider the timing of waste collections on the Strategic Route Network. This will consider impacts on congestion and smoothing traffic flow, as well as wider implications of changing waste collection timings” has been delivered over the past 10 years?

The Mayor: Creating an efficient street network, with less congestion, reliable movement of people and goods, and which supports vibrant town centres and places, is fundamental to London’s economic performance and quality of life.
Since 2012, Transport for London (TfL) has continued to work with boroughs, Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), and waste operators to consolidate waste collection services, encourage collections outside peak times and to reduce waste overall. This has included collective procurement for more efficient collections and the introduction of waste compaction tools to reduce the number of collections.
In 2019 TfL published their Freight & Servicing Action Plan which set out an ambitious plan to work with boroughs, businesses and the freight and servicing industry to transform how deliveries are made in the capital, reducing road danger and helping to clean up London's toxic air.
Many boroughs and BIDs have also produced their own freight and servicing plans setting out local action they are taking to reduce and re-time waste collections.Our Freight and Servicing Action Plan highlights some of the positive changes BIDs and boroughs have achieved through collective procurement and other supporting measures to reduce the amount of freight and servicing activity in an area. Examples can be found in our report https://content.tfl.gov.uk/freight-servicing-action-plan.pdf

Met Ward Changes

Susan Hall: Councillors have recently been informed by the Met that the current round of boundary changes which affects 25 London Boroughs and creates 46 new wards will take some time to change the safer neighbourhood teams accordingly. Why the delay and what can you do to speed this process up?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is committed to ensuring that the newly created wards receive Dedicated Ward Officers (DWOs).
My Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime regularly meets with the Assistant Commissioner for Frontline policing to hold them to account for the provision of neighbourhood policing.
The MPS assures me that it has identified, and in most cases posted, new DWOs to every new ward created by the boundary changes.
My DMPC will continue to press the MPS to ensure that officers are posted to all newly created wards as quickly as possible.

8 Albert Embankment

Anne Clarke: What progress can you report on the intended sale of the former Brigade Headquarters at 8 Albert Embankment?

The Mayor: London Fire Brigade (LFB) was disappointed by the Secretary of State’s decision last year to refuse planning permission for 8 Albert Embankment and has since been considering its options for the site. This is a hugely complex site and there have been a number of attempts to develop it over the last decade. LFB remains in positive discussions with the developer, U+I, and hopes they can soon begin working on new plans that would secure the future of the much-needed new Fire Station and Museum, alongside other benefits for those living locally.
The London Fire Commissioner will update the Fire, Resilience and Emergency Planning Committee once he is in a position to provide further information.

MPS interviewing policy (2)

Caroline Russell: Campaigners have highlighted that the candidates and panel of interviewers for the next Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis were all white. Are you concerned that this may hamper rebuilding trust and confidence in the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and what steps are you taking to hear the voices of Black, Asian and other minority ethnic Londoners in the recruitment process?

The Mayor: The process to recruit a new Commissioner was managed by the Home Office.
My Office for Policing and Crime made representations to the Home Office on the importance of transparent recruitment and having diversity on interview panels, but decisions on the final composition of the interview panel were the responsibility of the Home Secretary.
I have been clear throughout the process that I would not support the appointment of a candidate unless they were able to clearly demonstrate an understanding and commitment to rebuilding communities trust and confidence with the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).
Sir Mark Rowley has made clear to me that he is determined to be a reforming Commissioner, committed to implementing a robust plan to rebuild trust and confidence in the police and to drive through the urgent reforms and step change in culture and performance Londoners deserve. As Mayor, I will support and hold him to these promises as I continue to hold the Met to account.

Missing persons prevention interviews

Unmesh Desai: How many prevention interviews were carried out within 24 hours of a missing person being located or returning home, how many took place after 24 hours, and how many did not receive a prevention interview in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 so far. Please provide a breakdown by the age, ethnicity and sex of the missing persons involved.

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) carry out prevention interviews to understand why a person went missing and prevent this from happening again. MPS data systems do not currently routinely permit retrieval of the number of prevention interviews carried out. However, they do take place as part of every missing person investigation. An investigation report cannot be closed until the outcome of a prevention interview is referenced. Details of prevention interviews for children are also sent to the local authority which allows for planning of return home interviews.
Data on return home interviews is held by local authorities who are responsible for conducting these interviews.
A small sample of this data has been extracted by the Dedicated Inspection Team (DIT) for routine audit purposes. These reports are analysed through dedicated oversight meetings to ensure that cases of missing children are dealt with correctly.
Furthermore, the MPS updated IT system CONNECT will be able to collate this information in the future.

Knife crime prevention campaign material in schools

Caroline Russell: A recent tweet by @MPSRoehampton shows the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) giving a presentation to a school titled: “The Reality of Knife Crime and Gang Culture.” In a follow-up tweet, the MPS says it is also doing leaflet drops, street briefings and youth club engagements, as well as proactive police patrols. Could you share with me the slideshow presentation featured in these tweets, as well as the leaflets and any other materials or presentations that are part of this knife crime prevention campaign?

The Mayor: The tweet referred to relates to a presentation delivered to Year 8 students at Ibstock Place School, the content of which was reviewed by the teachers prior to being presented. Leaflets were not distributed at the event. The leaflets are to be distributed at street briefings during Anti-Social Behaviour Week in Roehampton hotspots. The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) are in the process of arranging for a similar presentation to be delivered at Regenerate youth group supporting young people aged 11-30 in Roehampton and Putney surrounding areas.
The following 7 minute video (from West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Team) was also shown to the students: https://youtu.be/6w93L24A6Ws

Peckham Police Station Sirens Noise Pollution – Policy Enquiry

Marina Ahmad: Constituents have complained about the noise disturbance caused by police sirens leaving the station at Peckham, particularly at night-time. What policies are in place to limit the overnight noise disturbance to residents near the police station?

The Mayor: All police drivers in London are subject to the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Roads Policing Policy when responding to calls using emergency equipment.
The police station in Peckham is in a residential area, but also on a main road which is busy at all times of the day. The use of emergency equipment, including the use of sirens, is likely to be required in most cases when responding to emergency calls from the police station in order to navigate road hazards safely.
Locally, officers are reminded to be considerate to residents when responding to emergency calls. They are, however, required to balance this against the risk to motorists and pedestrians, as well as the urgency of attending emergency calls for police assistance from the public.

Spanish Practices (1)

Tony Devenish: Do you share public concern that London Underground allows so called "Spanish Practices” which, in my view, undermine the case for more taxpayer subsidy, such as those outlined on BBC Question Time on the 16th June?

The Mayor: It is unclear what is being referred to, but I assume you mean agreements with staff or Trade Unions which may be considered irregular or restrictive for the business.
Transport for London (TfL) has agreements in place with its staff to ensure workplaces and staff are always safe, including parameters on working times and rostering agreements, which have been negotiated with Trade Union colleagues over a number of years. TfL continues to talk extensively to the Trade Unions about working together to help TfL become financially sustainable. TfL is looking at every aspect of the organisation to support this commitment, which includes business processes and working practices, without compromising on safety.

Spanish Practices (3)

Tony Devenish: Is it the case that Tube workers refuse to use Zoom or Teams because to do so would be a change to their working practices?

The Mayor: Where virtual meetings are required, and staff have access to the appropriate technology they join Microsoft Teams meetings. Most operational staff e.g., drivers, maintenance staff and station staff do not attend meetings as part of their day jobs and do not use Zoom. Transport for London’s default video platform is Microsoft Teams.

Spanish Practices (5)

Tony Devenish: Train drivers represented by the Aslef union have a ‘walking allowance’ that covers the time it takes to move from the mess room in the station to their train. Do Tube drivers have anything similar in place?

The Mayor: All train crew locations have agreements with train drivers, applying to ASLEF, RMT and non-union affiliated drivers. Walking time varies by location, but it is generally minutes in length. For example, all drivers have seven minutes before they pick up their trains to read notices, attain their duty details, receive safety information and get any service updates at their booking on point and walk to the train. If a train stables in a depot or a siding which is not the drivers start/finishing depot, they get travelling time which varies by location/line. This enables Transport for London to ensure that its Tube drivers turn up at the right place at the right time.

Ensuring LU Technicians can Provide a Wide Range of Cover

Tony Devenish: What is London Underground doing to ensure technicians are competent on the widest possible range of assets?

The Mayor: All technicians working across London Underground are trained, licensed and competent to carry out a wide range of tasks. This includes those working in asset areas such as fleet, track, signals, power and electrical and civils and premises, who are also able to cover roles above and below their role as and when required.
Transport for London (TfL) has a mature training, licensing and ongoing competence assessment programme which ensures the business has individuals or teams who can undertake multiple tasks. TfL also invests heavily in training and courses for its staff, as well as providing opportunities for staff to take on more bespoke roles. TfL also invests in staff development and ensures it has succession plans in place by enabling key skills, knowledge and experience to be passed on between individuals.

LU Cross-Cover

Tony Devenish: What work is done to ensure that London Underground drivers and other staff are able to cross-cover when there are absences, including the ability to work on different Tube lines as required?

The Mayor: All London Underground operational staff are trained, licensed and competent to carry out a wide range of tasks and are able to cover roles above and below their role as and when required.
London Underground has a mature training, licensing and ongoing competence assessment programme which ensures the business has individuals or teams who can undertake multiple tasks. London Underground also invests heavily in training and courses for its staff, as well as providing opportunities for staff to take on more bespoke roles. Transport for London also invests in staff development and ensures it has succession plans in place by enabling key skills, knowledge and experience to be passed on between individuals.
London Underground train operators undertake extensive training to ensure they are fully trained and licenced to cover all routes on their dedicated line and respective rolling stock. Currently these operators do not work across multiple lines; however, they do provide cover across their own line to mitigate staff absences or other unavailability as and when required.

Lack of Toilet Dignity for London Bus Drivers: Bus Operator Information

Keith Prince: Based on your response to question 2022/0787, we know that there at least 175 bus routes in London that have a toilet for bus drivers only at one end of the route. For each route identified in your response, please provide the name of the operator and starting date of when bus drivers no longer had access to a toilet.

The Mayor: The details of the operators of the routes in question can be found on Transport for London’s ‘who runs your bus’ webpage, available via the below link:
https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/buses/who-runs-your-bus?intcmp=44680
It is not the case that they no longer have access to a toilet, rather the 175 routes identified have access to a toilet at one end of the route

Lack of Toilet Dignity for London Bus Drivers: Estimation of Journey Times

Keith Prince: For each of the routes identified in question 2022/0787, please provide me with TfL’s estimation of the total journey time that the bus driver is required to drive a bus with no access to a toilet.

The Mayor: All the routes in question have a round trip of less than 150 minutes and a toilet at one end of the route. Therefore, the maximum duration without access to a toilet is 150 minutes, with many of these routes having a round trip of much less than 150 minutes.
This is in line with the criteria agreed with the bus drivers’ union, Unite, and the employing bus operators. Please see response to question no. 2022/2682.

Lack of Toilet Dignity for London Bus Drivers: Missing/Inaccurate Data (1)

Keith Prince: In addition to the 175 bus routes lacking ‘Toilet Dignity’ for bus drivers that you provided in your response to question 2022/0787, your response to question 2022/0786 revealed that there are 17 bus routes with only 1 toilet and a 150 minute round-trip before the bus driver can get to a toilet, which TfL calls “Priority 3” Routes. Four of these Priority 3 Routes - Routes 3, 25, 48 and 286 - don’t appear on the list provided in your response to question 2022/0787. Why? Is a more accurate response to Question 2022/0787 be “There are a total of 179 routes with a toilet at only one end”?

The Mayor: Toilet access across the network is an evolving picture - especially where the facilities are not managed by Transport for London (TfL). For this reason, TfL caution against cross-referencing data relating to different points in time.
TfL continuously work with the driver’s union, Unite, and bus operators to identify any changes affecting bus driver access to toilet facilities. Where changes are identified, measures are taken to address them.
Routes 25 and 286 do now have access to a toilet at both ends of the route. Bus route 48 is no longer in operation. Bus route 3 has a toilet at one end currently – proposed service changes will, subject to consultation, mean that toilets will be available at both ends.

Lack of Toilet Dignity for London Bus Drivers: Guaranteeing Proposed Bus Route Changes will fix Toilet Provision for Bus Drivers

Keith Prince: Correlating the list of routes being proposed to be altered/cut with routes without adequate toilet provision (provided in your responses to question 2022/0787, question 2022/0786 and question 2021/4900) shows that 3 bus routes with 1 toilet or a 150 minute round-trip between loos (“Priority 3”) are proposed to be changed, one of which (Route 328) doesn’t look like it will add a toilet and that 3 bus routes with only a toilet at one end are proposed to be changed, and 1 change (Route 3, a “Priority 3") is to another bus route (Route 87) without a toilet at one end.
Will you ensure that the changes to route 328 and route 3 will include the addition of a toilet at the end of the route that presently lacks it?

The Mayor: Transport for London’s proposed service changes as part of the Central London Bus Review are subject to consultation. Infrastructure changes, including toilets, are considered as part of developing route changes.
There are proposed service changes to both routes 3 and 328 which will, subject to consultation, result in a toilet being available at both ends of the routes.
Full details of the Central London Bus Review can be found here: https://haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk/busreview

Lack of Toilet Dignity for London Bus Drivers: Missing/Inaccurate Data (2)

Keith Prince: According to your response to Question 2021/4900: “there are currently three known routes – R2, 286 and 394 – where access to toilets is not available for all hours of the operating day. One of these (route 286) has a temporary toilet installed because access to the previously available facilities has not been possible due to pandemic restrictions. TfL will review access to staff facilities for route 286 when this changes. Facilities for routes R2 and 394 are currently in detailed design and, subject to funding and planning negotiations, will be built in 2022”.
However, route 394 does not appear on the list of 175 bus routes at one end found in question 2022/0787. How many routes of the 675 bus routes in London lack ‘Toilet Dignity’ for bus drivers: 175 (as per your response to question 2022/0787), 179 (adding in the “Priority 3” data you provided in your response to question 2022/0786) or 180 (adding in the data you provided in your response to question 2021/4900)?

The Mayor: Toilet access across the network is an evolving picture - especially where the facilities are not managed by Transport for London (TfL). For this reason, TfL caution against cross-referencing data relating to different points in time.
TfL continuously work with the driver’s union, Unite, and Bus Operators to identify any changes affecting bus driver access to toilet facilities. Where changes are identified, measures are taken to address them.
Route 394 now has access to a toilet at both ends for most of the day, and at one end (Homerton Hospital) throughout the operating day following agreement with the relevant parties.

Creative Enterprise Zones sustainability

Zack Polanski: How are you working with London boroughs and other bodies like Transport for London (TfL) to ensure that your Creative Enterprise Zones are as sustainable as possible and can be accessed easily by walking, cycling, and public transport?

The Mayor: As Mayor, I am committed to embedding sustainability and accessibility across all programmes. My Transport Strategy sets out my goals for transforming the way that Londoners travel, with my aim for 80 per cent of all trips in London to be made by active, efficient and sustainable modes such as walking, cycling and public transport, by 2041.
This will positively impact the way Londoners access London’s nine Creative Enterprise Zones. The focus of the zones is to designate areas of London where artists and creative businesses can operate sustainably by accessing permanent affordable space to work and support to start-up and grow, and where local people are helped to learn creative sector skills and access pathways to employment. The zones are also improving sustainability through their activities including supporting London’s zero-carbon circular economy and green businesses and improving the environmental performance of creative workspace.

Reducing Drug Deaths in London (8)

Emma Best: You have stated the Welfare and Vulnerability Engagement (WAVE) training for frontline venue staff is effective in reducing drug-related harms in venues. Can you please provide data as to how many venue staff have received the training and how many recorded cases there have been of this training used with positive outcomes?

The Mayor: Since August 2021, 5,182 staff across 964 venues had received WAVE/Ask for Angela training.
While there is anecdotal evidence of WAVE training being put into practice, there is no legal requirement for venues to record incidences of the training being used, so it is not possible to confirm how many cases there have been. Intervention may occur before an incident of any harm or vulnerability occurs, meaning that it is unlikely the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) would be informed. Early intervention can include drink refusals due to intoxication, refusal of entry, or engagement with a customer who is behaving suspiciously, but not criminally.

D3 Bus Route

Caroline Pidgeon: Given that Wapping Overground station isn’t step-free, the rerouting of the D3 bus route will result in the loss of the only step-free link between Wapping and the Royal London Hospital, with nine bus stops no longer being served by any route. Following a local campaign from residents, will you reconsider these changes, which are set to disproportionately affect disabled, older and low-income Londoners?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) is consulting on changes to the bus network in and around Central London between 1 June and 7 August 2022. As you are aware, this proposes to reroute bus route D3, amongst other changes. The full consultation can be found at https://haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk/busreview.
Under TfL’s proposals, route D3 would no longer run between Westferry Circus and Bethnal Green. It would be replaced partly by route 100 between Wapping and Bethnal Green. This retains the direct link to Royal London Hospital for Wapping, except for Glamis Road and The Highway and Butcher Row, where buses would no longer run. Some residents using stops in these areas would need to travel between 100 to 500 metres to route 100 at Wapping Lane or Cable Street or use route 135 along Commercial Road to reach Watney Market stops to the south of the hospital.
The issue raised within your question has been recorded by TfL’s consultation team. Once the consultation is closed, TfL will carefully consider all feedback received, including this, before making any final decision on whether or not to proceed with the proposals, including the route D3.

TfL Central London Bus Review Accessibility Concerns

Caroline Pidgeon: Given the importance of ease of interchange for older, disabled and mobility impaired Londoners, are the proposed changes in the Central London Bus Review, which may require passengers to either change bus twice or walk up to 500 metres to access other routes, complimentary to the aims set out in the Bus Action Plan to make the bus network more accessible and inclusive?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) is currently consulting on changes to bus routes in and around Central London where demand has fallen most. This is to achieve the savings that TfL has been required to find by central Government. The consultation closes on 7 August and can be found here: https://haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk/busreview. I encourage everyone to respond so that TfL can capture their feedback.
TfL has developed these changes taking consideration of the Bus Action Plan, and the proposals aim to minimise disruption to existing journeys. This includes a review of interchanges, with the aim to provide same stop interchange at stops with shelters and seating and good walking routes where passengers need to walk.
There will be a need for increased interchange between bus routes in future should the proposals currently being consulted on be introduced. TfL has undertaken Equality Impact Assessments (EqIAs) to ensure it has identified how the proposals might affect individuals with protected characteristics and set out how it intends to mitigate these impacts.

Creative Enterprise Zones (4)

Neil Garratt: How many creative art studios have been created in each Creative Enterprise Zone?

The Mayor: My Creative Enterprise Zones are working with boroughs to support London’s creative future by bringing forward new, permanent, affordable creative workspace to support artists and creatives to put down roots in their communities. To meet this objective, the zones support a broad range of types of creative sector workspace which Londoners need, including – but not limited to – artist studios.
To date, the zones, which are all still in progress, have brought forward over 17,000 sqm of new, affordable, creative workspace. This figure is predicted to reach over 60,000 sqm by 2025.

Creative Enterprise Zones (3)

Neil Garratt: How many permanent, affordable workspaces have been created by the Creative Enterprise Zone programme?

The Mayor: My Creative Enterprise Zones are working with boroughs to support London’s creative future by bringing forward new, permanent, affordable creative workspace, and supporting artists and creatives to put down roots in their communities. I have established nine zones since 2016 and will create a further three zones by 2023.
To date, the zones have brought forward over 17,000 sqm of new, affordable, creative workspace. This figure is predicted to increase to over 60,000 sqm brought forward across my nine current zones by 2025.
Furthermore, it is expected that additional workspace will be created in my three new zones, for which applications from boroughs are currently invited. Announcements will be made on this in early 2023, when the accreditation process has been finalised.

TFL ANPR footage

Emma Best: How many of London’s Boroughs/Tri-Borough Police Forces have requested TFL ANPR footage in the years 21-22, 20-21, 19-20?

The Mayor: Transport for London’s (TfL) ANPR cameras read vehicle number plates and collect still images, not continuous footage. The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has direct access to a data feed (not images) from all of TfL’s ANPR cameras, except for those installed for the operation of the expanded ULEZ, which came into effect in October 2021. Arrangements for access to those cameras are being progressed. Five requests have been received by TfL from the MPS in the three years specified, which generally seek further information

Creative Enterprise Zones (2)

Neil Garratt: Can you tell us how many creative apprenticeships have been created per Creative Enterprise Zone?

The Mayor: Between 2019 and 2023, my Creative Enterprise Zones are currently delivering over 750 training opportunities, work placements and apprenticeships for local people, including young people and those from under-represented backgrounds.
To date, 217 local people have commenced skills training and placements across the zones. Of these participants: 13 have completed a work placement of at least 40 hours, 60 so far have earned a Level, Level 2 or Level 3 qualification, and 17 have now progressed to full time employment.
These projects are scheduled to be completed by June 2023, at which point my teams will report on all outputs.

Creative Enterprise Zones (1)

Neil Garratt: Can you provide the amount spent on each Creative Enterprise Zone?

The Mayor: In my first term, I established six Creative Enterprise Zones to designate areas of London where artists and creative businesses can find permanent, affordable space to work and support to start-up and grow, and where local people are helped to learn creative sector skills and access pathways to employment. Ten local authorities received a £50K grant to undertake research and development to apply to become a zone. Each of six successful zones then received a share of revenue and capital funding to deliver action plans.
I invested a further £1M in dedicated creative sector skills programmes across the first six zones which leveraged £1M of European Social Funding
This investment has generated £3.6M in match funding to date and has helped to create over 17,000 sqm of new, affordable, creative workspaces, and will create 1,000 training opportunities.
The second phase of Creative Enterprise Zones launched in July 2021 as an accreditation model, helping more zones to be brought forward more quickly, and greater value to be achieved. The six initial zones have been re-accredited, and a further three new zones have been designated, with each zone receiving an Impact Grant of £70,000 to support them in delivering their action plan. This investment will generate at least a further £500,000 in match funding.

Information board outside East Finchley Station

Anne Clarke: There is an unused information board outside East Finchley Tube station. A new Town Centre Team based in East Finchley would like to use these as a public notice board. Will you ask TfL to help facilitate this?

The Mayor: The frame in question at East Finchley Tube station is ordinarily used to display a map of the Tube network, which is an essential piece of customer information. The frame is currently damaged and awaiting repair. The map will be reinstated as soon as possible, so unfortunately it is unavailable for use as a public noticeboard.

Dust monitoring beyond the tube

Zack Polanski: What monitoring is Transport for London (TfL) conducting into tube dust beyond the tube network to examine the relative exposures on newer and more modern underground railways like the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and the central section of the Elizabeth line?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) is committed to tackling Tube dust and conducts dust monitoring to ensure workforce and passenger safety. Dust levels on the Tube are currently within limits set by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Monitoring sites are chosen to provide a sound data set to track dust levels and dust composition over time, to identify areas for targeted enhanced cleaning, and to verify levels are below HSE limits. Monitoring of above ground air quality is undertaken by Local Authorities and collated via the London Air Quality Network.
TfL does not currently undertake dust monitoring on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) network as approximately eighty-five per cent is above ground. The network does feature four tunnels which are less likely to accumulate dust as they are shorter than the longer tunnels found on London Underground. A similar situation applies on the London Overground network. However, TfL will include the DLR platforms at Bank and Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich in the next round of annual London Underground air quality monitoring, which is due to commence later in the year, and will be published on the TfL website.
Air quality monitoring was carried out as part of managing construction impacts of the Elizabeth line. Routine annual tube dust monitoring on the new, central section of the line is not planned for this financial year but will be considered next year.

Police evidence 1

Susan Hall: For each year 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 how many pieces of evidence were recorded as missing by the Met Police? Of these how many were the following:

• Cash
• Weapons
• Drugs

The Mayor: In an average year, the MPS seizes approximately 600,000 pieces of evidence. In this four-year period it was recorded that 8,973 (less than 1 per cent) were recorded as ‘missing’. The MPS advise that the figures appear elevated in the most recent two years due to post-pandemic delays in the criminal justice system; to allow the facilitation of investigative activity; ongoing suspect/witness interviews; or further evidence gathering; or in the preparation for judicial activities. Items of property are steadily being relocated from local to central stores or awaiting secure disposal. This process means that those numbers will reduce markedly as time passes.
Items shown as ‘missing’ on the property management system are identified as those that have not been located during specific audits and can be shown as ‘missing’ due to reasons as set out below:
The MPS advises that it is not possible to provide a breakdown of the information into these categories.
Year/Category
2018
2019
2020
2021
Total by Category
Total missing items in period
250
82
3,926
4,715
8,973
Specific Items
Cash
8
1
0
6
15
Drugs
40
14
2
142
198
Firearms
0
0
0
0
0
Knife
7
6
0
24
37
Weapons
2
2
0
15
19
Other
193
59
3,924
4,528
8,704

Grooming of Young People

Caroline Pidgeon: What work are you undertaking with the Met to understand the prevalence of the grooming of young Londoners by criminal gangs and how are you ensuring grooming gangs are tackled effectively and robustly?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) works with a number of partners to keep young Londoners safe from being groomed by criminal gangs.
This includes activity such as Operation Makesafe – a police-led education programme provided to NHS, schools, London Fire Brigade, parents/guardians, taxi drivers, hotels, security guards, licensed premises, fast food outlets and care homes to identify the signs of child exploitation and encourage reporting.
The MPS 3 year County Lines Action Plan has been established to pursue offenders and safeguard victims who have been exploited through county lines activity. My pan London Rescue and Response service also supports young Londoners who have been victims of exploitation and grooming as well as working closely with the National County Lines Coordination Centre to understand the scale of activity across London.
The MPS also obtain Civil orders to restrict the activities of people involved in child exploitation, including Sexual Risk Orders, Sexual Harm Prevention Orders, Criminal Behaviour Orders, and Child Abduction Warning Notices.

Lack of Satisfaction in Online Crime Reporting Process

Caroline Pidgeon: Part of your argument for closing so many police front counters and selling so many police stations during your period as Mayor has been how much easier it is to report crimes online. With the latest statistics showing that only 39% of Londoners are satisfied with the online reporting process, is it sensible to continue closing police front counters and do you regret closing so many?

The Mayor: In the face of £1bn cuts in Government funding for the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), I made tough decisions to prioritise money away from buildings and towards officer numbers, as well as investing in the ways that Londoners want to be able to contact their police service in the digital age. I continue to commit to our Public Access Strategy pledge to there being a 24/7 front counter in every borough in London.
The Telephone Digital Investigation Unit (TDIU) at the MPS handles both online and telephone calls from the public. MOPAC maintains oversight of the TDIU satisfaction rate and this has been raised at Oversight Board with the MPS on multiple occasions. The MPS are working to address this lower level of satisfaction. For example, a recently concluded Randomised Control Trial to assess the impact of follow up calls with victims of vehicle crime, showed positive results. The MPS are rolling this out across London for all victims of vehicle crime from August 2022.

Olympic and Paralympic Transport Legacy Action Plan (10)

Elly Baker: In March 2012 the previous Mayor published his Olympic and Paralympic Transport Legacy Action Plan. Can you outline how Action 10 “TfL will work with the boroughs to support walking and cycling amongst London’s adult population. This may include a programme of engagement with a wide range of community groups and individuals to encourage walking and cycling” has been delivered over the past 10 years?

The Mayor: There has been a huge investment in promoting walking and cycling throughout this Mayoralty.
Transport for London’s (TfL) Walking & Cycling Grants programme offers grants to grassroots projects reaching minority groups, using cycling to boost mental and physical health and reduce social exclusion. This is in addition to a Community Ideas Hub to enable groups to learn about and replicate successful projects from previous years and working with a new network of like-minded organisations sharing our vision to diversify cycling, in conjunction with community groups. TfL also supports boroughs with funding to engage with local communities and increase participation in active travel. This includes the organisation of local events or led rides for example.
TfL’s cycle training programme has provided training to over 60,000 adults and 100,000 children in the last five years. Most of the adult participants are women and people from ethnic minorities. School engagement programmes reach all children regardless of background and encourage children and parents to travel sustainably.

Olympic and Paralympic Transport Legacy Action Plan (9)

Elly Baker: In March 2012 the previous Mayor published his Olympic and Paralympic Transport Legacy Action Plan. Can you outline how Action 9 “The Mayor and TfL will promote cycling by encouraging the development of a range of London 2012 cycling merchandise, to produce the maximum benefits to London. The range should include affordable cycling products” has been delivered over the past 10 years?

The Mayor: Transport for London’s (TfL) Sustainable Travel Active, Responsible, Safe (STARS) schools programme, aimed at inspiring young Londoners by by championing walking, scooting and cycling, partnered with scooter company Micro Scooters to supply free scooters to STARS schools. To date Micro Scooters has enabled over 1 million children to scoot to school every day – revolutionising the school run.
The GLA and TfL have in recent times also partnered with cycling retailer Halfords to combat cycle theft following a spike in thefts almost trebling between April and September in 2020.
TfL supports a number of cycle skills training courses and in 2020 when many courses were forced to happen virtually, after completion, participants could claim 15 per cent off Halfords’ own-brand cycle locks, helping them to securely lock up their cycles and therefore reduce theft risk. The offer also applied to cycle lights and helmets, encouraging safer travel.
Over the last decade, cycling has been made more affordable and accessible via the Santander (formally Barclays) cycle hire scheme.
Cycling storage hangers have been rolled out across boroughs particularly for those that own cycles, yet home storage is challenging due to lack of space.

Olympic and Paralympic Transport Legacy Action Plan (8)

Elly Baker: In March 2012 the previous Mayor published his Olympic and Paralympic Transport Legacy Action Plan. Can you outline how Action 8 “TfL, working with the boroughs, will promote cycling for children. This may include cycle training within schools and will build on the successes of Team GB and state of the art facilities in the future VeloPark to inspire future generations to cycle” has been delivered over the past 10 years?

The Mayor: Encouraging Londoners to travel sustainably from a young age is an important part of Transport for London’s (TfL’s) strategy to grow active travel and this is reflected in TfL’s Cycling Action Plan (2018). The plan includes two key actions to encourage the take up of cycling among children:
Many of the activities at Lee Valley VeloPark on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park are targeted at children. There are around 500 school bookings and around 500 club bookings (many of which are for young people) every year. In addition 8000 children a year take part in learn to ride sessions, including very young children on balance bikes. The venue has also hosted free activity through schools festivals where children from across London and the Lee Valley region have cycled for free, has run community discovery days and hosted a range of British Cycling initiatives.

Olympic and Paralympic Transport Legacy Action Plan (14)

Elly Baker: In March 2012 the previous Mayor published his Olympic and Paralympic Transport Legacy Action Plan. Can you outline how Action 14 “TfL will promote public transport and cycling for all in the run up to, during and after the Paralympic Games” has been delivered over the past 10 years?

The Mayor: r all groups and communities independent of events such as the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Encouraging active travel via cycle training, delivering and strengthening cycling infrastructure, marketing campaigns and initiatives aimed at improving cycling participation. RideLondon, which is a legacy event of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, returned this year with the introduction of a 30-mile inspiration ride, which sat alongside the 60-mile and 100-mile inspiration rides, which took participants on an accessible for all route from central London out to Epping Forest. The 30-mile ride aimed at attracting newer and less experienced riders to cycling who were able to undertake the shorter route as part of the overall RideLondon programme of events.
The family-friendly Freecycle event enables cyclists of all ages and abilities to experience cycling on closed roads in central London and this year, this element saw 50,000 people participate with around 2 per cent declaring they had a disability. As part of the Freecycle, there were four festival zones. This included the Lincoln’s Inn Fields Festival Zone focused on cycling accessibility, with a traffic-free test track offering the chance to try a huge range of adapted bikes and trikes. Staff from Wheels for Wellbeing were also on hand to explain how anyone can get into cycling.
Please also see my response to Mayor’s Question 2022/1918.

Olympic and Paralympic Transport Legacy Action Plan (13)

Elly Baker: In March 2012 the previous Mayor published his Olympic and Paralympic Transport Legacy Action Plan. Can you outline how Action 13 “TfL will raise awareness with a view to improving people’s attitudes towards each other and to disabled people in particular, to ensure that the travelling environment does not present a barrier to travel during and after the Paralympic Games” has been delivered over the past 10 years?

The Mayor: My Transport Strategy has ambitious plans for improving the accessibility of transport.Since I became Mayor, 24 Tube stations have been made step-free meaning a third of stations on the Tube network now have step-free access. In total, there are now more than 275 step-free stations across the Transport for London (TfL) network. These include 92 Tube stations, 62 Overground stations, 39 Elizabeth line stations and all DLR stations and Tram stops. All piers have step-free access and newer river boats have dedicated spaces for wheelchair users and accessible toilet facilities.
All of London’s buses are low-floor, wheelchair accessible, with dedicated wheelchair ramps and spaces onboard. Transport for London (TfL) is working to introduce demarcated priority seats across all TfL owned buses by 2026. These seats are specifically designed to help those unable to stand secure a seat. Alongside this, TfL continues to run its TravelKind campaign asking customers to help make travelling around London better for everyone. April 2022 marked the 5th anniversary of the Please Offer Me a Seat badge with over 100,000 badges given out to people with visible and invisible disabilities.
TfL remains committed to having well trained staff on hand across its network to offer assistance and provide a ‘turn up and go’ service. Since 2017, TfL has provided staff with Disability Equality Trainingfor frontline staff and Professional Services staff.
Customers now have access to more real-time information than ever before and can replan journeys on the go. TfL first introduced iBus over 10 years ago, providing real-time audio/visual information on the bus network. For many, this has revolutionised their travel experience. TfL launched its TfL Go app in 2020, the app improves accessibility information by including a 'step-free' mode to access easy-to-navigate views of all stations with street-to-platform accessibility. TfL’s accessible signage standard launched in 2018 helps disabled people navigate while on the move by providing distinctive and separate signing trail for customers with specific accessibility requirements.

Fire Brigade Commenting on Planning Applications (2)

Sakina Sheikh: On what grounds would the London Fire Brigade usually comment on a planning application?

The Mayor: As London Fire Brigade (LFB) is not a statutory consultee under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, the Brigade is usually only invited to review and comment on information provided as part of a planning application when the design team or planners have identified challenges relating specifically to firefighting access. These often only relate to external and/or vehicular access arrangements as the internal floor plate layouts are often subject to detailed design at a later stage, i.e. prior to Building Regulations consultation process.
The London Plan also gives opportunity for greater scrutiny on the general layout of a building and how the evacuation of all can be supported. Policy D5 calls for evacuation lifts and associated measures to be included, while Policy D12 means a design team must demonstrate they meet the highest standards of fire safety design. For example, the LFB could make comment on means of escape ensuring evacuation lifts and supporting lobbies are designed appropriately as well as the number of escape stairs being provided.

City Hall jobs - s106 agreement

Nick Rogers: In light of the local employment requirements contained within the s106 agreement for the Crystal/new City Hall, can you provide a breakdown of the number of applicable vacancies that have been advertised/recruited for at new City Hall, and the number of roles to which Newham residents have been successfully appointed?

The Mayor: The GLA has worked in partnership with Our Newham Works to ensure applicable vacancies are promoted across the Borough.
Priority consideration has been given to applicants who live in Newham for all City Hall based staff vacancies advertised externally since the start of the year.
Hiring managers are not given access to the remaining external applications until the selection process for Newham residents is complete, and no appointment has been made.
A total of 70 City Hall based vacancies (across 55 campaigns) have been advertised between 01 January 2022 and 12 July 2022. Of these 70 vacancies, a total of 44 offers of employment have been made to date, which includes one offer made to a Newham resident through the above process.
In the same period, a further 4 offers of employment have been made to Newham residents (who were not given priority consideration) for vacancies not based at City Hall.

Blue Badge Holders

Nick Rogers: What is the estimated number of Blue Badge Holders in Greater London who use cars which are not registered with a disabled or disabled passenger vehicle tax class?

The Mayor: Transport for London does not have an estimate of the number of Blue Badge Holders in Greater London, which are not registered with the disabled or disabled passenger tax classes. There are 247,000 blue badges registered to individuals in Greater London and there are 87,714 vehicles registered to the disabled or disabled passenger tax class in Greater London.
However, not all vehicles with a disabled or disabled passenger tax class will necessarily be associated with a Blue Badge. It is therefore not possible to accurately assess how many Blue Badge holders use cars that do not fall into this category.

Crossrail 2

Joanne McCartney: At the official opening of the Elizabeth line the Prime Minister expressed his support for Crossrail 2. This was surprising as his government previously asked work on this project to stop. Do you know of a change of mind in government, and will this paused work now resume?

The Mayor: In response to the Prime Minister’s statement at the launch of the Elizabeth line, I wrote to the Prime Minister on 1 June expressing my agreement with his view. In my letter, I highlighted that his Government’s October 2020 Transport for London (TfL) funding agreement disbanded the Crossrail 2 team following several years of joint working between TfL and the Department for Transport (DfT), over which time five Business Case submissions were made setting out the case for Crossrail 2. I also emphasised the importance of updating the 2015 Crossrail 2 Safeguarding Directions to safeguard the latest scheme design, pointing out that TfL supplied the DfT with a Memorandum of Understanding over two years ago, which has not yet been agreed.
As of today, I have not received a reply to the issues raised in this letter. However, I am aware that TfL has since met with DfT officials in an attempt to make progress with updating the 2015 safeguarding directions. No decisions have yet been made by the DfT, and

Guidelines on Disclosure

Joanne McCartney: Will the Attorney General’s recently published Guidelines on Disclosure assist survivors of rape and sexual assault in London, or may they lead to reduced protections?

The Mayor: While the guidelines published by the Attorney General aim to tackle the significant issues highlighted by the Attorney General’s Disclosure Review, there is a lack of clarity about how it will help in practice and actually benefit survivors.
I welcome the acknowledgment of the need to limit potential ‘fishing-expeditions’ on victims’ personal data and the new guidelines encourage prosecutors to take a ‘thinking approach’ when taking a view but close wor with partners will be required to establish the impact these updated guidelines are having on the ground.
In my refreshed VAWG Strategy, I committed to review the provision of support to victims of sexual violence and will continue to work with Operation Soteria Bluestone to improve the response and justice outcomes for survivors in London.

Incidents reviewed by the Post Incident Officer and Staff Support team

Caroline Russell: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) released a press statement on 11 May 2022 which said that the Post Incident Officer and Staff Support (PIOSS) team are reviewing body worn video footage of on average 150-200 incidents a week and are also reviewing each time incapacitant sprays or batons are used. Could you tell me: a) how many total incidents have been reviewed by the PIOSS from its launch in April 2021 to May 2022, broken down by month and by type of incident reviewed (e.g. stop and search, baton), b) how many of them were negatively reviewed, and c) of those that were negatively reviewed, what steps were taken?

The Mayor: Ensuring officers conduct themselves professionally and are accountable is vital for communities to regain trust and confidence in the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). Through body worn video officers can review their conduct promptly and effectively.

Mental Health (1)

Unmesh Desai: What percentage of Met call outs involve individuals experiencing mental health crises? Can I have this data for the past four years?

The Mayor: Please see attached the requested information. The supplied notes page should be read in conjunction with the data to aid in interpretation. The information includes the percentage of all calls attended by the Met with the opening code of 612 (Mental Health).

The Mayor: 2000_Mental Health.xlsx

Police use of out of date technology

Caroline Russell: With reference to the answers received to questions 2017/2213, 2018/0016 and 2019/21107, how many software programs and items of hardware currently in use by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) are being used beyond the manufacturer’s End of Service Life (EOSL) date?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) have 38 IT services which are being used beyond the manufacturer’s End of Service Life (EOSL) date.
The previous questions and responses referred to (2017/2213, 2018/0016 and 2019/21107) specifically addressed the use of Windows XP. The updated position is that there are currently two workstations affected due to their need for a legacy application, which is soon to be retired. Access to the main network domain is not available through these workstations.

Olympic and Paralympic Transport Legacy Action Plan (1)

Elly Baker: In March 2012 the previous Mayor published his Olympic and Paralympic Transport Legacy Action Plan. Can you outline how Action 1 “After the 2012 Games, TfL will use the rail infrastructure to support the outcomes of the Mayor’s Transport Strategy” has been delivered over the past 10 years?

The Mayor: The 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games provided London with a wide range of new transport infrastructure, designed to deliver a lasting physical legacy which would act as a catalyst for further investment. The main schemes delivered in advance of the games were:
During the ten years that have passed since the games, passengers in London and those making journeys across the wider Southeast and beyond have benefitted from these schemes and the subsequent enhancements to the network enabled by them, including:

Unregistered mopeds

Tony Devenish: What more can be done to tackle the use of unregistered mopeds that are used to commit crime?

The Mayor: The majority of moped enabled crime (MEC) is committed on mopeds that have either been stolen or where the vehicle registration marks has been removed or concealed, rather than unregistered. Operation Venice is the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) response to MEC, which includes unregistered mopeds, and continues to be hugely successful in tackling MEC. Operation Venice provides bespoke tactics to tackle robbery, using highly skilled officers, trained and authorised to instigate tactical contact against those using mopeds and motorbikes to commit robbery and theft snatches.
The MPS has worked tirelessly to crack the issue of moped thefts and moped enabled crime through a range of operations across London and as a result, there has been around a 50% decline in moped enabled crime since its peak in summer 2017.
The MPS is also developing a Problem-Orientated Policing approach in areas where moped offending is more prevalent, and delivering tailored interventions, such as target hardening measures. The MPS also intend to renew their previously successful ‘Lock, Chain, Cover’ media campaign, to educate moped, motorbike and bike owners about securing them and reducing the opportunity of having them stolen. These tactics will continue to make London a hostile environment for offenders.

Reoffending Rates

Unmesh Desai: What percentage of crimes in London over the past three years were committed by first time offenders/previous offenders?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) have advised it is not possible to provide this information. To identify if an individual is a first-time offender or repeat offender requires detailed analysis on an individual level to be conducted.
However, the Ministry of Justice publish statistics on proven reoffending and on criminal histories on gov.uk.
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/proven-reoffending-statistics
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly
As an example, the latest proven reoffending statistics were published on 28 April 2022 and show the below for the last three twelve-month periods covered:
Offender cohorts
Measures - London
Jul 2017 to Jun 2018
Jul 2018 to Jun 2019
Jul 2019 to Jun 2020
Proportion of offenders who reoffend (%)
28.4
27.2
26.8
Average number of reoffences per reoffender
3.44
3.37
3.22
Number of reoffences
64,629
53,220
40,857
Number of reoffenders
18,791
15,774
12,703
Number of offenders in cohort
66,170
57,996
47,410
Average number of previous offences per offender
14.33
14.63
15.43

London Fire Brigade Sirens Noise Pollution

Marina Ahmad: What is the London Fire Brigade doing to limit the noise disturbance of sirens overnight?

The Mayor: London Fire Brigade (LFB) provides guidance for its drivers on the appropriate use of sirens. All vehicle warning devices should be used appropriately by the driver every time a vehicle responds to an emergency incident, whether during the day or overnight. On all driving courses, drivers are taught what is known as effective non-use, where drivers are encouraged to turn off sirens where they are not supporting faster attendance at incidents.
The primary purpose of warning devices (lights and sirens) is the safety of members of the public and the crew. Use of these devices enhances the ability of an emergency service vehicle driver to make progress and manoeuvre in traffic, reducing the risk to themselves and other road users.
While emergency sirens can unfortunately cause disturbances for those in the vicinity, this must be balanced with the need to alert people about the presence of emergency vehicles responding to incidents.

Potential changes to the Policing Protocol Order 2011

Caroline Russell: Have you read the proposed redraft of the Policing Protocol Order 2011, and what are your views on these potential changes to the Protocol’s impacts on operational independence and political interference in policing?

The Mayor: My Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime responded to the Government consultation and sent the former Minister for Crime, Policing and Probation a letter detailing concerns regarding the proposed redraft of the Policing Protocol. The letter made clear that the proposed revisions to the Protocol have a negative impact on the independence of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC).
As the letter made clear, it is concerning that the consultation appears to be an attempt to rip up the existing constitutional settlement on policing - making PCCs primarily accountable to the Home Secretary instead of their local electorate and requiring them to implement national policy they may not agree with despite having no legal obligation to do so – as well as undermining the operational independence of Chief Constables. It also appears, at a strategic level, to run counter to the wider PCC Review where the outcomes appear to have been aimed at strengthening the PCC model and PCCs’ ability to hold Chief Constables and the wider justice system to account.

Escalator maintenance at Kentish Town station

Siân Berry: What has caused the issues with escalator maintenance at Kentish Town station, where the combined failure of both escalators has led to Transport for London (TfL) having to close the station in May 2022?

The Mayor: The two escalators at Kentish Town are in urgent need of replacement. Given Transport for London’s (TfL’s) current financial position and the lack of long-term funding certainty, TfL’s approach to assets in this condition, as part of its managed decline scenario, is to increase the level of inspections and, if necessary, take the asset out of service to ensure safety until they can be repaired or replaced. In May 2022, following an inspection of the stair tread, TfL identified a fault with the escalators. As safety is its top priority, it took the escalator out of service to repair the fault using its limited stock of spare parts.
These escalators have had 40 maintenance interventions in the last 10 years to help prolong their life but are now at a continued high risk of a failure leading to unplanned closures. This clearly isn’t sustainable. It is extremely likely that TfL will see more faults develop like this over the next six to 18 months, meaning a higher likelihood of unplanned station closures. Whilst I am grateful that the Government have now provided TfL with a long overdue proposal for long term funding, TfL and I will scrutinise the deal to understand the impact on London and Londoners.
A project has now been started to urgently look at how the escalators can be replaced – but this work will be subject to funding. Details about how this will be done including timescales will be available soon once further investigation work has been carried out.

Privacy impacts of Project Alpha (2)

Caroline Russell: As reported in the Guardian on 5 June 2022, several of the organisations involved in the stakeholder consultation run by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) for Project Alpha do not recall being formally asked to participate in a consultation for the project. Is the MPS consultation process thorough enough, especially for such a sensitive area, if multiple stakeholders do not recall their involvement?

The Mayor: Project Alpha is a Home Office Funded Project with social media Hubs based in London, West Midlands and Merseyside.
The initial consultation took place in 2019 and all of the organisations named in the Equalities Impact Assessment were formally invited to participate in the process. This was part of a Social Media Action Group (SMAG) established by the Home Office and supported by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). Together with the Home Office, they are re-examining how they engage with stakeholders, both locally and nationally.